UK Statistics Watchdog Challenges PM Sunak's Claim of Reduced Debt

The assertion, based on a five-year forecast, may have undermined trust in the government's use of statistics, says watchdog chairman Sir Robert Chote.

• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's claim that the government has reduced debt has been challenged by the UK's statistics watchdog, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA).
• The UKSA's chairman, Sir Robert Chote, stated that the assertion may have undermined trust in the government's use of statistics as debt has been increasing since the start of the year as a proportion of the economy.
• Sunak's claims were based on a forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility that debt would be falling as a proportion of GDP in the final year of its five-year forecast.
• However, the latest figures for October showed that government debt stood at 97.8% of GDP, slightly higher than the figure for January.
• Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney accused Sunak of undermining trust in politics and resorting to making up a story about the UK economy.

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